Jaguars hire Falcons' Mularkey as head coach

The Jacksonville Jaguars have hired Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey as head coach, a move they hope will help improve the league's worst offense.

The team plans to introduce Mularkey at a news conference Wednesday. The Florida Times-Union first reported the hire.

Mularkey's Falcons managed only two points in a wild-card loss to the New York Giants on Sunday. Nonetheless, his long relationship with Jaguars general manager Gene Smith made him a front-runner from the beginning of the search.

He previously was a head coach with Buffalo, where he went 14-18 before being fired after the 2005 season. He has been Atlanta's offensive coordinator since 2008, helping mentor quarterback Matt Ryan. The Jaguars hope he can do the same with Blaine Gabbert, who struggled in his first season.

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